South Australia clarifies MotoGP interest

The future of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix appears to be hanging in the balance with the current deal between the Victorian government and Dorna Sports ending this year.

The Age has reported that Dorna wants to move the Australian MotoGP race to Albert Park, while the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is committed to keeping it at Phillip Island.

That, according to the report, could create a unresolvable impasse and leave Dorna looking at options outside of Victoria.

One option flagged in The Age’s report was South Australia, with claims that talks are already underway with government officials about a street race in Adelaide.

In a video posted online by Seven News, SA premier Peter Malinauskas outlined his state’s position on a potential bid for a MotoGP race.

He clarified that it would be The Bend, not a street circuit, that would host a MotoGP race, and that negations would be led by the Shahin family, which owns the Tailem Bend facility.

Malinauskas did, however, make it clear that the government would be open to supporting the Shahins should it become a genuine possibility.

“For some time we’ve been talking with the Shahin family and their facility at The Bend about the opportunity to have great events up there,” he said.

“They’ve always had a clear aspiration for international events at The Bend, and a motorcycle race event is an example of that.

“I’ve made it clear to Sam Shahin that we would back them if that opportunity comes. They’ve already got other events up there that we’re backing them on.”

Malinauskas did warn that the speculation could be as simple as a bargaining chip between Dorna and the Victorian government.

“What I would say, and we’ve seen a few little stories like this over the last few years, which again is a bit of a sign of success [for South Australia], that other sporting codes, or events, sometimes try and sort of create a bidding war,” he explained.

“Which is fine, that happens. I’m aware that the Victorian government has got a deal with Phillip Island and they want to keep it.

“In terms of engagement with The Bend about other opportunities, we are always talking to them and we always keep our options open.

“I’m not really interested in a bidding war. But if The Bend are pursuing events, and there has been speculation about [World] Superbikes in the past, if they’re pursuing those things and the government has an opportunity to help them, we will always turn our mind to that.”

Victoria famously poached the Australian F1 Grand Prix from Adelaide in the mid-1990s, something that has fuelled a rivalry between the two states ever since.

When asked if a MotoGP deal might square the ledger, Malinauskas made it clear there would be no deals done out of malice, citing a good relationship with SA’s neighbour regarding things like the AFL’s Gather Round and LIV Golf.

“Needling Victoria isn’t on my radar, only because it’s Victorian people that have made Gather Round a success,” he said.

“I’ve done a fair bit of Victorian media over the last years over Gather Round and LIV and everything else, and I’m always at pains, when I’m talking to the media, to make clear that we have nothing against Victoria.

“In fact we love Victorians became they have helped make these events a success when they travel here [to South Australia].”